💯 Miscellaneous Benefits from Yemen

BENEFIT 36: Beware of making long term decisions at the peak of Ēmān Ēmān increases and decreases. It increases with good, righteous deeds and decreases with disobedience. This is one of the fundamental creeds of Ahlus-Sunnah. Allāh ﷻ said: ﴿وَإِذَا مَاۤ أُنزِلَتۡ سُورَةࣱ فَمِنۡهُم مَّن یَقُولُ أَیُّكُمۡ زَادَتۡهُ هَـٰذِهِۦۤ إِیمَـٰنࣰاۚ فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ فَزَادَتۡهُمۡ إِیمَـٰنࣰا وَهُمۡ یَسۡتَبۡشِرُونَ﴾ “Whenever a Sūrah is revealed, some of them ask ˹mockingly˺, “Which of you has this increased in Ēmān?” As for the believers, it has increased them in Ēmān and they rejoice.” [Sūrah At-Tawbah 124] This fluctuation in Ēmān has a direct effect on a person's inner and outer actions and even their decision making. Sheikh Jum’ān mentioned in one of his classes that when Ēmān increases, a person's level of Tawakkul also increases. (end quote) Hence, you find a person with high Ēmān ready to forsake his livelihood in pursuit of the Ākhirah; which is generally a good thing, however, if this decision process is not thought out carefully, it may end in deep regret. Reflect over the following ḥadīth: ’Abdullāh ibn ’Amr raḍhiyallāhu ’anhumā reported that: My father got me married to a lady of a noble family, and often used to ask my wife about me, and she used to reply, “What a wonderful man he is! He never comes to my bed, nor has he approached me since he married me.” When this state continued for a long period, my father told the story to the Prophet (ﷺ) who said to my father, “Let me meet him.” Then I met him and he asked me, “How do you fast?” I replied, “I fast daily,” He asked, “How long does it take you to finish the recitation of the whole Qur'an?” I replied, “I finish it every night.” On that he said, “Fast for three days every month and recite the Qur'an (and finish it) in one month.” I said, “But I have the ability to do more than that.” He said, “Then fast for three days per week.” I said, “I have the ability to do more than that.” He said, “Therefore, fast the most superior type of fasting, (that is, the fasting of (prophet) Dāwūd who used to fast every alternate day; and finish the recitation of the whole Qur'an In seven days.” I WISH I HAD ACCEPTED THE PERMISSION OF ALLAH'S MESSENGER (ﷺ) AS I HAVE BECOME A WEAK OLD MAN...for he disliked to leave those things which he used to do during the lifetime of the Prophet (ﷺ). [Bukhāri (5052)] Ask yourself this, if ’Abdullāh ibn ’Amr raḍhiyallāhu ’anhuma regretted this decision of his - although it involves no sin whatsoever and though he had a valid excuse not to see it through, what then of a person who makes a long term decision concerning a matter that is irreversible and they don't see it through?! Surely they'll feel some regret don't you think? Now reflect over this ḥadīth: Narrated Zaid ibn Aslam: “I heard 'Umar ibn Al-Khaṭṭāb saying: 'The Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) ordered us to give in charity, and that coincided with a time in which I had some wealth, so I said, "Today I will beat Abū Bakr, if ever I beat him."' So I came with half of my wealth, and the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ) said: "What did you leave for your family?" I said: "The like of it." And Abū Bakr came with everything he had, so he said: "O Abū Bakr! What did you leave for your family?" He said: "I left Allāh and His Messenger for them." I said: '[By Allāh] I will never be able to beat him to something.'" [Abū Dāwūd (1678), Tirmithi (3675) - graded 'Ḥasan' by Sheikh Albāni] Notice how the Prophet ﷺ asked them what they had left behind for their families, as though to make sure if they wanted to go ahead with this decision. Remember, this is Abu Bakr and Umar we're talking about. No one's Ēman from this Ummah (aside from the Prophet ﷺ) will ever reach their level! Al-Baghawi raḥimahullāh explained the above ḥadīth in 'Sharḥ As-Sunnah' (6/ 181), saying: